God has a plan for your life; that’s a Bible fact. One minister trying to add value to this thought said the following: “When speaking to young people, I always enjoy telling them, “Do you realize you were once a sperm?” That’s right. You were once a sperm, and you were one of five million sperm all together in a group. Do you remember? All of you lined up at a starting line, and at the end of a long, long tunnel, there was one egg. There was a race, and you won! Stop to think about that. The odds were five million to one, and you came through. Your victory makes an Olympic gold medal look like nothing by comparison! You came through! You’re a winner! You are here by divine appointment. You are no accident. Think about it. If your mother had had a headache that night, you wouldn’t even exist. You are a very special person!” ¹ That’s a cute story injected with a considerable measure of truth. You are no accident. God has no accident’s only ‘on-purposes.’ So in today’s podcast, we are going to focus on the wonders of God’s plan and planning. Understanding God’s Plan in the Mouth of Mortal Man. All this on this week’s Light on Life.

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You can view a basic transcript of this podcast at the bottom of this section.

Accept the Challenge

Each week’s podcast contains a call to action. The Word of God will not produce in your life unless you put into operation.
This week’s call is:

God can and will work His plan even when mortal man tries to get in the way. Do you believe that? Set your heart and consecration towards God and the fulfillment of that plan. If you are available, He is willing.

Join the Conversation

Each week’s podcast also contains a question designed to encourage testimony. Testimony is vital to a believer’s life. We overcome by it (Rev. 12:11).
This week’s question is:

Question: How has the Lord worked out a portion of His plan for your life? Please share some of the details of your testimony in the comments section below so that others may be encouraged.

About Emery

Emery committed his life to the Lord Jesus Christ over 40 years ago and has served as both a full-time pastor and an itinerant minister. Both he and his wife Sharon of 35 years emphasize personal growth and development through the Word of God. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is both the focus and the hallmark of their mission. Read more about them here.

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If you enjoyed the podcast, please rate it on Stitcher Radio and leave a review. If you have a suggestion for a Bible topic, you would like to see taught, or if you have a question, please e-mail me at emery@emeryhorvath.com

Podcast Notes

John 11:45–53 (ESV) — 45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, 46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” 49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. 50 Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” 51 He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.

God Has a Plan!

• God is the ultimate, the premier planner accounting for the smallest details far into the future.
• If there is anyone that can orchestrate a powerfully potent pinpoint plan, it’s our Most High God.
• The plan that God has for your life is a good plan.
• That’s the only kind of plan He has; there are no bad plans.
• You can say it this way: A good God has a good plan for your life.
• That’s as certain as your gender.
• So, let’s start with the basics, like what is a plan?
• With that thought, here’s the definition of the day.
• A plan is a detailed scheme, method, etc., for attaining an objective per Collins Dictionary.
• It is a design or scheme, prepared in advance of doing something.²
• Our God thinks ahead — He plans ahead — and executes His purpose thousands of years down the road.
• His plans are pure, powerful, and pertinent to your life.
• You want to know God’s plan.
• It is for you to know, after all, He needs you to do your part in executing the plan for building the Kingdom.
• There is no wavering in God’s determination to fulfill His design.

Powerful Plan of God Passages

• Listen to these robust ‘Plan of God’ passages from the Bible.
• We won’t have time to look at the context of all these verses, but it will be plain to see that our Most High God is in the planning business.

Your Plan Won’t Work

Isaiah 14:24 (ESV) — 24 The LORD of hosts has sworn: “As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand,

• God has a plan, so shall it be, is His comment.
• So, if you have a plan that is different than God’s — maybe you don’t like God’s plan, and you want to improve your situation with your version of life, please do yourself a favor and give up now.
• Your plan will not work.
• You can trust this fact: by yielding your will to God’s plan, you will save yourself a lot of headaches and things not working right.

Even Your Mistakes Won’t Derail God’s Plan

Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV) — 11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

• These words came to a desperate Israeli people under captivity for their sins.
• What does that say to us?
• It says that even in your missteps, God has a plan.
• I heard one minister years ago say that the Lord is the perfect cook.³
• One of the challenges of cooking is of making all the food come out hot at the same time.
• Your mistakes, your veering and swerving all over the place, have already been factored by the Head Chef of the Universe.
• The Lord will make His meal, His plan, and it will come forth searing and smoking at the right time.
• Again, if you make a mistake, really not if — when you make a mistake, just know that the Master Planner has already factored that mistake into His plan.

‘My Life My Rules’ Doesn’t Get It Done

Proverbs 16:9 (ESV) — 9 The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.

• You may have a plan, but it won’t gain a foothold unless your plan is God’s plan.
• Proverbs 16:9 shows us the fallacy of generating a personal life plan based on our thinking.
• I recently saw a tattoo on someone’s forearm, which said, “My life, My rules.”
• What a waste of ink.
• The saying is wrong on both accounts; it’s not your life — the scripture says, ‘You are not your own, you were bought with a price.’
• And, living by your rules instead of God’s rules is what got Adam and us in the mess we are in to start with.
• So, you can devise your plan because you are a free moral agent, but the power to establish God’s plan lies with Him.
• It’s only those who follow His plan that has their steps established.
• And, with that thought, here’s the quote of the day.

Remember, God knows the future better than we know the past. It pays in every way to wait before Him and get His plan. So many times we make our plans and then ask God’s blessings on our plans. It’s far better to get His plan, because His plan is already blessed.⁴

• That quote is from Brother Hagin’s book Plans, Purposes, and Pursuits. It’s always best to get God’s plan first.
• Here are a few more’ plan of God’ scriptures.

God is Always Ahead

Isaiah 37:26 (ESV) — 26 “‘Have you not heard that I determined it long ago? I planned from days of old what now I bring to pass, that you should make fortified cities crash into heaps of ruins,

• God is always ‘ahead of the curve’ when it comes to you and me.
• He is not surprised.
• The Most High is never shocked.
• You’re not going to change His mind about His will for your life because His plan was worked out long before you ever were a twinkle in your mother’s eye.

Speak the Plan is God’s Way

Jeremiah 51:12 (ESV) — 12 “Set up a standard against the walls of Babylon; make the watch strong; set up watchmen; prepare the ambushes; for the LORD has both planned and done what he spoke concerning the inhabitants of Babylon.

• This verse gives us vital information.
• God plans, and then He speaks His plan.
• How does He speak His plan? — through the mouth of mortal man.
• So, what God does is plan in advance, and then He backs up and starts working that plan from the beginning.

Isaiah 46:10 (ESV) — 10 declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’

• How does He work the plan? — By declaring it.
• His words will never fall to the ground — they will never fail — not even the smallest detail.
• So, we are talking about God’s plan in the mouth of mortal man.
• Listen to our text again.

Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation,

God’s Plan for Jesus

• Here you have the plan of God for Jesus’ life — the blueprint for Him was to die as your substitute.
• Look from where these prophetic words o? — out of the mouth of a mortal man.
• His name was Caiaphas.
• Caiaphas is a man who was all out against Jesus, but note that while scheming to get rid of Jesus, he is, instead, prophesying for Jesus.
• With evil intent in his heart towards Jesus, he is declaring God’s plan.
• Note what the scripture said: he spoke these words ‘not of his own accord.’
• The Spirit of God put these words in his mouth, and he didn’t even realize it.
• God’s plan in the mouth of mortal man — do you see it?
• Now, Caiaphas was not a nice fellow.
• He was a religious person; they are some of the worst kinds of folk.

Bible Background: Caiaphas

• Caiaphas operated as Israel’s high priest from about AD 18 to 36.
• He was the high priest who officiated over Jesus’ trial.
• Note these words in the gospel of Luke.

Luke 3:1–2 (ESV) — 1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.

• The Lexham Bible Dictionary has the following to say about Caiaphas and this passage in Luke, and with that thought, here’s the historical background of the day.

Luke 3:1–2 mentions secular and religious leaders to indicate the time when John the Baptist’s ministry started. Caiaphas and Annas are named as high priests in the 15th year of Tiberius Caiaphas was the acting high priest at this time; it seems that Annas is also mentioned because he had held the office earlier and was still influential.

Caiaphas is an important historical anchor for three of the Gospels and Acts. Outside of the New Testament, he is attested in the writings of Josephus as being installed and removed as high priest. Josephus corroborates the name, position, and time of service for Caiaphas. He relates that Gratus made Joseph Caiaphas high priest during a period of rapid turnover, and later writes that Caiaphas is deposed and replaced by Jonathan, son of Ananus (Antiquities 18.35, 95).⁵

Caiaphas: Not a Nice Man

• So, Caiaphas was Empire State high on Israel’s food chain.
• He was High Priest over Israel and also headed up the Sanhedrin.
• He possessed position and power, but he was not a nice man.
• The real Caiaphas was a wealthy, selfish, greedy, mean spirited, throw in a couple of more adjectives like this, kind of power-hungry priest.
• He was not the kind of guy you would want your daughter to bring home.
• The conduct of Caiaphas at this preliminary trial of Jesus (Mt. 26:57–68), its time and its procedure were almost entirely illegal from the standpoint of the Jewish law (see JESUS CHRIST, ARREST AND TRIAL OF I.A.2).⁶
• All of which should make you wonder about the prophetic words that poured forth from his lips.
• And with that thought, here’s the question of the day.

The Question of the Day

Here’s the question that comes to mind concerning the evil Caiaphas: Can God speak a divine, Holy Spirit inspired, ‘rhema’ word through the mouth of a wicked person?

• According to these verses, yes, He can, and yes, He does.
• Caiaphas did not think these words up concerning Jesus on his own.
• He didn’t sit around and go over in his mind what he planned to say.
• He seemed compelled to speak, and what he said ended up as a prophetic scriptural utterance.
• So man, has his plans.
• But, God can steer those unwise plans into His plan.
• Caiaphas planned to put Jesus to death; that’s what John eleven fifty-three says.
• And with that intention, he played right into the plan of God determined ages and eons before Caiaphas was ever born.
• Again, the plan of God for Jesus was that His life be a substitutionary sacrifice for mankind.
• The book of Acts says this concerning the plan.

Acts 2:23 (ESV) — 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.

• We can see in the case of Caiaphas that God the Father both prophesied the plan of God and instituted that plan via multiple avenues among them the hands of lawless men.

God Only Has Plan A

• With that thought, here’s the illustration of the day.

According to a legend, when Jesus returned to heaven following his death on the cross and resurrection from the tomb, the angels gathered in amazement. They gazed at the wounds in his hands and feet, and shuddered to recall his suffering. Finally Gabriel spoke: “Master, you suffered terribly down there. Do they know and appreciate the extent of your sacrifice.”

“No,” said Jesus. “Not yet. Right now only a handful of people in Palestine know.” “Then what have you done to let everyone else know?” asked Gabriel. “I’ve asked Peter, James, and John, and a few others to spread the news. They will tell others who will tell others until the message spreads to the ends of the earth.” But Gabriel, knowing the nature of human beings, asked, “What is Plan B?” “I have no Plan B,” replied Christ. “There is no alternative strategy. I’m counting on them.” Twenty centuries later, he still has no other plan. He’s counting on you and me.⁷

• God has Plan A.
• That’s comforting to know because that means you are His plan A.
• Jesus dying as mankind’s substitute was plan A.
• You receiving the redemptive work of Jesus in your life is plan A.
• Your becoming a partaker of God’s divine nature is plan A.
• You taking your place in the body of Christ is plan A.
• Should I keep going?
• If I do, everything that you would hear would all be plan A.
• But, is this the only time God used a contrary man’s mouth contrary to that man’s plan?
• Have you considered the Old Testament story of Balaam?

The Story Of Balaam

• The story revolves around a Moabite King named Balak and the ‘on their way to the Promised Land’ children of Israel.
• Balak saw what Israel had done to the Amorites and became real nervous really fast – Numbers 22:1–4.
• So to offset Israel’s ‘God’ advantage, he tried to hire himself one of God’s spokesmen.
• It seems like the thing to do.
• The plan was to have God’s prophet declare a curse upon Israel.
• All of this was to nullify the ‘God-advantage’ Israel had with a little backroom, behind closed doors, dealing.
• Now, as you read this story, there may be parts of it that seem a little foreign like this whole ‘cursing another nation’ business.

Understand The Power of Words

• Part of that strangeness may be due to not understanding the power of words.
• Words can bring blessing, or they can bring a curse.
• Your words set the boundary marks of your life.

Proverbs 18:7 (ESV) — 7 A fool’s mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul.

Matthew 12:36–37 (ESV) — 36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

• The Greek word ‘careless’ in this context means words spoken, which are marked by lack of attention, consideration, forethought, or thoroughness.
• Your words should be in line first with God’s Word, and second with God’s plan for your life.
• So, if you plug-in the fact that the ancients understood the power of words, maybe this story makes more sense.

Balaam: A Hired Gun

• Balak hired the prophet Balaam hoping that Balaam would speak a prophetic word from God against Israel.
• That’s what the prophet Nehemiah wrote.

Nehemiah 13:2 (ESV) — 2 for they did not meet the people of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them—yet our God turned the curse into a blessing.

• This kind of thinking is the way of things in the world of false gods, idols, and images.
• Calling on gods to invoke blessings and cursings is part of the world of little ‘g’ gods.
• It seems from this story that Balak lacked understanding where the God of Israel was concerned.
• He lumped Yahweh in with all of his other idols.
• Balaam didn’t understand that the God of Israel did not equate to little ‘g’ gods.
• After all, He is the God of all little ‘g’ gods.
• So, Balak doesn’t know the Lord, nor does he understand His ways.
• Look at these other passages that view Balaam in a negative light.

Joshua 13:22 (ESV) — 22 Balaam also, the son of Beor, the one who practiced divination, was killed with the sword by the people of Israel among the rest of their slain.

• Balaam wasn’t a friend to Israel; he was an enemy.
• He practiced sorcery — that’s what divination is.
• Divination is in company with magic, fortune-telling, and necromancy.
• The Lord forbade it.

Deuteronomy 18:10 (ESV) — 10 There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer.

Greedy for Gain

• Balaam was not a godly man — again — not a nice man.

2 Peter 2:15–16 (ESV) — 15 Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing, 16 but was rebuked for his own transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.

• These New Testament verses characterize Balaam as a greedy and evil person who loved money.
• The love of money is the root of all evil.
• Loving money puts you in bad company.

Jude 11 (ESV) — 11 Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion.

• These verses also describe Balaam as unbalanced.
• We could say Balaam was a little nutty.
• The Greek word ‘madness’ used in 2 Peter 2:16 to describe Balaam means a state or condition of irrationality, madness, insanity.[William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 772.]
• Now, comes the last brick in this foundation.

The Teaching of Balaam

Revelation 2:14 (ESV) — 14 But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality.

• What was the teaching of Balaam?
• Glad you asked, a sample of it is in the book of Numbers.

Numbers 25:1–3 (ESV) — 1 While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. 2 These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. 3 So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel.

• Israel didn’t whore after the daughters of Moab of their own accord — they had help Balaam’s help.
• Balaam taught Balak, King of Moab, that to overcome Israel, you had to get them over into sin.

Numbers 31:16 (ESV) — 16 Behold, these, on Balaam’s advice, caused the people of Israel to act treacherously against the LORD in the incident of Peor, and so the plague came among the congregation of the LORD.

• Sin removes God’s protective hand.
• It gets you over onto the devil’s territory.
• Sin causes the absence or the withholding of God’s blessings, which is actually the definition of a curse.
• Not having God’s blessings is a curse that no man can bear.
• So, this ungodly man Balaam, this diviner Balaam, this soothsaying greedy for a paycheck Balaam tries to cash-in on King of Moab’s request to pronounce a curse upon Israel.

God Overturns Balaam’s Plan

• Look at how God reveals His plan through the mouth of mortal man.

Numbers 23:1–11 (ESV) — 5 And the LORD put a word in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.” 6 And he returned to him, and behold, he and all the princes of Moab were standing beside his burnt offering. 7 And Balaam took up his discourse and said, “From Aram Balak has brought me, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains: ‘Come, curse Jacob for me, and come, denounce Israel!’ 8 How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced? 9 For from the top of the crags I see him, from the hills I behold him; behold, a people dwelling alone, and not counting itself among the nations! 10 Who can count the dust of Jacob or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright, and let my end be like his!” 11 And Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have done nothing but bless them.”

*This same went on several more times before Balaam switched gears and gave Balaam the abominable advice that eventually cost him his life.

Joshua 13:22 (ESV) — 22 Balaam also, the son of Beor, the one who practiced divination, was killed with the sword by the people of Israel among the rest of their slain.

• God’s plan will come forth through the mouth of mortal one way or another.
• You guys have a great God week in Jesus’ Name Amen.

What is Carnal Minded and How to Grow Out of It?

References: